Strange network printing problem

This is a discussion on Strange network printing problem within the Printer Support forums, part of the Tech Support Forum category. Hi,
I am experiencing a network print problem that I belive is really strange.
Hopefully someone here can help me

I am experiencing a network print problem that I belive is really strange.
Hopefully someone here can help me out!

I have a hp deskjet 980cxi ink jet printer that I used to have connected via parallell interface to my linux server (Currently running Ubuntu linux). On the linux server I have samba installed to share the printer to the windows XP machines on the network. I have used that setup sucessfully for years.

A few weeks ago the printer suddenly wouldn't work. When I tried to print from windows, one line of strange characters were printed, then the printer hung flashing the orange error led.
Since I had upgraded the linux kernel just before I noticed the problem I assumed that something had broke on the server. Printing from linux on the server still worked, it was just network printing that didn't work.

I thought something had happend with the samba installation so I tried configuring the CUPS server (unix software printserver) to accept IPP (internet printing protocol) connections from the outside. Windows support IPP as well so I configured a printer in windows to print to the cups server. The result was the same as with samba, one line of strange characters and then the printer hung. Ubuntu linux that I run on the server use CUPS internaly to print and that still worked!

Now I thought something was really wrong with the linux installation so today I went and bought a Dlink704P router with printserver.
You could not belive my frustration when the result was the same when I tried to print through the dlink! One line of strange chars and printer hung.

I have tried connecting the printer via parallell directly to a windows machine and that works.
I have also tried to disable the windows firewall with no result.